The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1887-03-10
A NICE NEIGHBOR.

81 don't think | should have taken
this house if had known there was a
marble-yard so near said Mrs. Graf
ton fretfully. .'It almost drives me
frantic to hear that man chip, chip.
chipping all day"
'YOu can hardly call that a marble
yard, mamma" Laura answered sOoth-
ingly, as she glanced across the way at
the solitary workman under a small
shed. where perhaps half-a-dozen blocks
of fine white marble stood ready for
the chisel.
81 call it an aggravation. They said
it was a nice neighborhood. Well. it
may be, but | don't fancy watching a
maa making tombstones all day"
sis that what he does?" asked Laura,
looking pensively at the workman over
the way.
He displayed fine set of muscles,
as he stood with his flannel shirt open
and his sleeves rolled up, looking
about for place to put large new
block of marble. He was a tall man,
close-knit and supple, with good head
and eyes of great power.
Laura stood watching him, and won-
dering how many times that little
chisel he held had Clipped out Sacred
to the Memory" etc. The little shed
was an annex to small one-story
structure. -...
81 suppose he lives in there. poor
man." she mused; ''all alone, cutting
tombstones from one weeks end to the
other. Oh, mammal"
Her cry of dismay came from the
fact that the stonecutteP Ovsr the way
had attempted to lift large block Of
marble on to a small truck, and it was
too heavy for him.
There was q great crashing thud,
and then he dropped to the ground,
white and insensible as the marble be-
side him.
..Oh, mamma, mammal" cried Ian,
ia, springing up, s'he has killed him
SELF
She dashed downstairs and out at tbs
front door, over to the marble-yard.
where Mrs. Grafton followed her at a
more leisurely pace.
The man was lying on the ground.
and small stream of blood was ebbing
from his lips.
Laura lifted his head and bade her
mother bring salt and water, while she
slimmoned a little boy, who ran for the
doctor.
..Stsfanor' exclaimed the physician,
as he bent anxiously over the injured
man. This is too bad! l was afraid
it would come some day. How did it
happenP''
He was lifting one OF those horrid
tombstones,' said Mrs. Grafton resent
fully. Il should think those working
men would learn to be careful when
they know that SO much depends on
the preservation of their health. sup
pose he has a wife and four or five
children to support!'
No, madame" said the doctor with
q peculiar glance at the patient; ''he is
single man. That will do, miss,
he said to Laura. who was helping two
volunteer aids to lift the injured man
ON to an improvised litter. "Take him
right into the house. please"
The ..house" proved to be one large
| room, furnished for the most part with
pieces of marble, wrapped in drapery
of brown muslin. The floor was litter
ed with chips of marble and dust.
| while the bare white walls were rudely
marked with charcoal outlines and Ger.
tain ambiguous drawings. which Laura
fancied were the beginnings of monu'
ments and other funeral stOne-wOrk.
There were, besides. couch and
| some chairs, a table and an extinct fire
| place.
| The injured man was laid down on
the couch, and made comfortable will
pillows and covers, which Laurs
brought over for him.
The doctor worked with him anxious
ly till he opened his eyes and betrayed
signs of consciousness.
..You must not speak," said the
doctor warningly. '.Lie perfectly still
and put your hand on the place wher'
the pain is. All, is it there? Not here,
Are you sure there is no pain here
Goodn'
He made careful estimate of the ex
tent of the injury, and then called Lau
Ia aside.
ut is not so bad as L feared" h
said confidentially; "but he must no
be moved on any account. Every
thing depends on his being kept quiet
And yet" he added doubtfully, .
don't see how we can manage here.
Il will take care of him. doctor,
Laura said quickly, ''if that is wha
you mean"
Laura, my dear" interposed Mrs
Grafton.
..Well. mamma, we can't leave hin
here to die!'
He, must have friends somewhere
They ought to be sent for
i happen to know, madame oh
served the doctor, ''that he is quit
alone. He is foreigner-an Italian.
believe. They call him Stefano."
Il will stay with him." Laura reitel
ated.
And stay she did, though Mrs. Gral
ton was scandalized by her uncallec
Tor devotion.
As the man began to recover 81
made him all manner of dainties, whie
J were set forth on temptin e china.
When she found that he cared
read she secured the library for bool
that would please him, but failed t
find what he liked, until one day
asked for Petrarch, and Dante, an
Ariosto.
"What are you thinking, signor